...mmmmm... mashed potatoes....
Do The Mashed Potato!
It was buying vegetables at farmer's markets that first made me start to think of mashed potatoes differently. Growing up, I probably would have told you that all potatoes were large brown lumpy shapes that you ate during the winter.However, at the farmer's market, I found golden, red, blue and purple potatoes. And the growers would often suggest different ways of cooking them. And I could buy as many or as few as I wanted, so more were eaten and less sprouted in my cupboard.
I also let go of the idea that mashed potatoes had to be pure white and fluffy. After all, the best vitamins are found in potato skins, so if you peel that part off, you've taken a lot of nutrition away from your spuds. I prefer the "smashed" potato, where the skins are left on and mashed right in with the rest of it. The superfine puree you get at fancy restaurants can be okay, but too often I miss having some actual texture in there.
Cookbooks on Mashed Potatoes (and more)
Mashed, Baked and Grilled: Great Potato Recipes: Over 40 fabulous dishes shown in step-by-step with a guide to potato varieties
Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 07/13/2009) 
List Price: $8.99
Usually ships in 24 hours
Ultimate Potato Book: Hundreds of Ways to Turn America's Favorite Side Dish into a Meal
Amazon Price: $13.22 (as of 07/13/2009)
List Price: $16.95
Usually ships in 1 to 4 weeks
Totally Potato Cookbook (Totally Cookbooks)
Amazon Price: $5.95 (as of 07/13/2009)
List Price: $5.95
Usually ships in 24 hours
The Potato Cookbook
Amazon Price: $14.95 (as of 07/13/2009)
List Price: $14.95
Usually ships in 24 hours
The Ultimate Potato Cookbook
Amazon Price: $12.00 (as of 07/13/2009)
List Price: $12.00
Usually ships in 24 hours
What about Green Potatoes?
If the potato skin is green, throw it out, it's moldy and/or unhealthy to eat.
If the skin looks ok, but you see a faint greenish tint when you cut it open, the potato was stored in too much light and most-likely now tastes bitter so you won't want to eat those either.
Understanding Your Potato
how to pick a good mashing potato
- Cook's Thesaurus: Potatoes
- Potatoes with a high starch content, like russets, bake well and yield light and fluffy mashed potatoes. Those with a low starch content, like red-skinned potatoes, hold their shape after cooking, and are great for making potato salads and scalloped potatoes. Medium starch potatoes are called all-purpose potatoes, and they'll work in most potato dishes.
- Yahoo! Answers - Which are the best potatoes to use for making mashed potatoes: Red, new, russet or gold?
- Which are the best potatoes to use for making mashed potatoes: Red, new, russet or gold?
- Potato Nutrition & History
- Types and Varieties of Potato
Mountains of Mashed Potato Goodness!
The presentation of mashed potatoes can really change how the side dish is perceived. The perfectly-formed ice cream scoop serving can invoke a retro diner, or a lunchroom flashback. Stuffed into a pasty bag with a fancy tip, you can quickly pipe out puffs or flourishes of potato. But as you can see by the photos below, mashed potatoes go with a LOT of things!
Bangers and Mash
Paris mash - Smoked...
Sizzling Chicken and...
Bangers and Mash
Dinner 22/1/09
Seabass and garlic m...
thanksgiving on a pl...
Mealtime
Dublin Pub Blarney S...
pork chop at Brennan...
Another Dinner
Bangers & Mash
Old-School Mashed Potato Recipes
- Springs Homestyle Mashed Potatoes Recipe
- We like our mashed potatoes lumpy so that is how we make them.
- Ginger Smashed Potatoes with Dill - Potato Recipes
- Recipe for Ginger Smashed Potatoes With Dill - Food Reference Recipes - cooking tips, trivia, food posters & art, culinary schools, food festivals, cookbooks
- Garlic Bacon Cheddar Smashed Potatoes Recipe
- These decadent mashed potatoes make a super change from boring plain old mashed potatoes, while not being too weird for children to enjoy. This recipe also uses common ingredients (no searching for goat cheese or seaweed to make this recipe) and is quick and easy to make. The potatoes can be boiled in advance, cooled to room temperature, and refrigerated. Simply reheat in a large skillet or saucepan until piping hot before finishing the recipe.
- Making Mashed Potatoes
- The method we are illustrating is only one example. It's no secret that mashed potatoes taste better to many people when they are made with lots of cream and butter, so we don't skimp on the butter and cream in this illustration! Keep in mind that you can use as much or as little butter and cream as your tastes and dietary requirments demand.
- Howstuffworks "Country-Style Mashed Potatoes"
- Make the best Country-Style Mashed Potatoes with this easy recipe. Find thousands of free, expert-tested, printable recipes on HowStuffWorks.com
- How to Make Great Mashed Potatoes
- Mashed Potatoes, learn how to prepare great mashed potatoes in your kitchen simply and effectively.
Mashed potato videos
follow-along video instructions
Healthy & Low-Fat Recipes for Mashed Potatoes
- LIVING : Side Dishes : Healthy Mashed-Potatoes : DIY Network
- A typical recipe for garlic mashed potatoes would produce a dish with about 200 calories and 10 grams of fat per serving. By contrast, our potatoes should have about 120 calories and only contain about 1.5 grams of fat for the same serving size
- Thanksgiving Recipes: Mashed Potatoes
- Cut down on extra calories this Thanksgiving by serving this healthy mashed-potato side dish.
- Garlic mashed potatoes
- Garlic mashed potatoes - one of many healthy recipes from Mayo Clinic.
- Recipe for healthy mashed-potatoes without butter or margarine.
- Although this works out to 4-5 grams of fat per serving, it is not the hydrogenated fat of commercial margarine or the animal fat of butter. Experiment with reducing canola oil and increasing soya milk if you wish to lower fat.
- The Vegan Chef - Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes - Vegan Recipes
- The home page for chef Beverly Lynn Bennett, featuring deliciously healthy and innovative vegan recipes, as well as a vegan message board. As a vegan, Beverly doesn't use any dairy products in any of her recipes, and they aren't missed at all.
- Whole Foods Market : Recipes : Garlic and Herb Mashed Potatoes
- This vegan version uses unsweetened soymilk, rice milk or vegetable stock instead of milk or half-and-half.
For A Smoother Mash:
1.Peel the potatoes.
2.Make sure they are cooked all the way through.
3.Mash with a ricer or puree in a blender.
4.Add more milk.
Fancy-Schmancy Mashed Potato Recipes
- Roasted Garlic and Basil Smashed Potatoes Recipe: Recipes: Food Network
- Enjoy this Roasted Garlic and Basil Smashed Potatoes recipe from Sara's Secrets
- Mashed potatoes with sage and white cheddar cheese
- Find delicious cheese recipes, like mashed potatoes with sage and white cheddar cheese, and other American recipes at Epicurious.com
- Perfect Entertaining - Recipe for Light and Fluffy Mashed Potatoes.
- These potatoes are silky smooth, with no lumps, and are rich with butter and milk or cream resulting in a light and fluffy dish that is just fantastic.
- Golden Mashed Potatoes with Truffle Butter Recipe | Food & Wine
- A recipe for Golden Mashed Potatoes with Truffle Butter. Dishes created by Food & Wine Magazine and top chefs.
- Loaded Mashed Potatoes Recipe - LoveToKnow Recipes
- The process for making potatoes purée is the most dependable and consistent method for getting creamy, fluffy mashed potatoes. And, of course, if you are making a loaded mashed potatoes recipe, you want to start with the best potato purée you could get.
- Roast Shallot and Potato Puree with Red Pepper
- GMA Recipe: Roast Shallot and Potato Puree with Red Pepper from Charlie Palmer on Good Morning America.
Mashing Messages!
Got a recipe variation or mashed potato trick you'd like to share?
AppalachianCountry wrote...
Great lens. Thank-you for the tip about ginger. We want to give it a try.
Posted April 24, 2009
Euryale wrote...
in reply to poutine I've found that lots of butter is often why mashed potatoes get an unhealthy rap. I like to use organic potatoes and make sure the mashed potatoes are served fresh and hot so that they don't need much butter.
Posted November 21, 2008
poutine wrote...
I think the secret in good mashed potatoes is BUTTER, lots of it.
Poutine
Posted November 20, 2008
OhMe wrote...
I will be referring back to this one. My husband loves Mashed potatoes. Lensrolling to Broccoli Rice Sausage Casserole. Great lens.
Posted November 13, 2008
daoine wrote...
If a potato has turned green it is because it has produced a toxin in reaction to light (as mentioned) - this is a protective step, for when soil washes away or an animal digs the tubers up, to put curious critters off trying to eat the potato tuber, giving it a second chance to sprout after all. Definitely not a good idea to eat green potatoes.
Posted May 13, 2008
by Euryale
In myth, Euryale was an immortal Gorgon. I'm a gardener and Giant Squid, growing things via Lenses. I have a wide range of interests including playing...
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